Pinky Swear?
by Pixieblade
Summary: Prequel to 'A Thousand Miles'-Gojyo and Hakkai's story. Pt. 1 of the Tobacco Road Arc.
1. Chapter 1

Title: **Pinky Swear?**

Series: Saiyuki

Rating: M

AN: Prequel to 'A Thousand Miles'

Hakkai was late. He was never late, which made this all the more vexing, or weird, he wasn't sure, but he was pissed. Pacing their small house, Gojyo about wore a hole in the floor waiting. He checked the clock again, 10:43pm, he was off work at 6:30pm, so where the hell was he?!

An hour he could understand, emergency patients or old ladies or something, two hours, he's still a bit flaky and is probably reading a book or something, three hours, maybe a game of Mahjong with Mr. Sato the grocer ran over, but four hours?! Four _fucking_ hours had better mean someone was dying or the clinic caught on fire or something equally dramatic, because he did **not** just get stood up, that just didn't work in his mind.

He growled low in his throat, absently kicking the table's leg as he stalked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator. He'd just pulled the tab and sank heavily into the couch when the door burst open and Lee, the only other doctor at the clinic, burst through the door.

Shit. He was not happy. One, he really didn't like this girl, yeah, the irony of the fact wasn't lost on him, but she had a nasty habit of draping herself across whatever work surface Hakkai was using and it pissed him off. Two, her sudden intrusion into their home made him crush his beer. His _full_ beer. While he was still drinking it. Yep, he really hated this girl.

"Gojyo-san, come quick! There's an emergency outside of town! Hakkai-san! Hakkai-san's gone alone and I can't find him!" she breathlessly tugged on his arm, dragging him to his feet and out the door before her words sunk in, and then he was gone. Shot into the night, not waiting for her or directions, just, _gone_.

Racing into the darkness, mind reeling. All he could think was that he was cursed, he'd opened his big mouth and now somebody, who obviously hated him, was laughing at them. Shit. He just kept running onwards, nothing he could do now but try and drag that masochistic bastard home and enjoy their stupid, fucking, totally lame anniversary at home like he'd planned. Not that he remembered those things in the least bit. Even if it had been two years since they came back.

"Ah, hell." He skidded to a stop at the edge of the crowd, pushing through to get as close to the raging inferno as he could.

"Hakkai! Anyone seen Hakkai?!" he yelled over the small group gather huddling at the edge of the woods.

"Gojyo-san!"

"Meriel, have you seen Hakkai? Lee said he was here."

The middle-aged baker shook her head sadly and pointed into the fire, "He said he heard crying and ran in before we could stop him, that was ten minutes ago, we haven't seen or heard anything since!"

"Shit! Water, someone bring me water." He pulled his shirt over his head and glanced around the crowd, "NOW!!!" he bellowed, sending several of the younger men running with buckets to the nearest house.

Water procured he dunked his shirt and called for towels and sheets to be similarly treated. He pulled his shirt back over his head and wrapped a small sheet around his head before grabbing two more and taking a deep breath and plunging into the flames.

There was a house here, he remembered a young youkai family moving in last spring, they weren't turned away, but they weren't exactly accepted either. Hakkai had treated the kids once or twice for the minor childhood bumps and bruises and had been quite enamored with them; it made Gojyo fear for his virtue on more than one occasion.

"'Kai! Hakkai, where are you?! Answer me dammit!! 'Kai!" a rumbling to his left made him push on farther in. He angled towards the hottest spot, obviously the house had gone up, but damn, this wasn't a kitchen accident or anything, the fire was too hot, and he could still smell the gas in the air.

Shit. "Hakkai! You better fucking answer me right now! Hakkai!?"

*cough cough*

"Hakkai?! That you? Answer me!!"

"Go..jyo…here, we're over here…"

"Jesus 'Kai, I swear you do some of the stupidest…'Kai? 'Kai!" Gojyo pushed the fallen beam off of the smoldering back of his partner.

*sniffle**sob**hiccup*

Soft mewling under Hakkai's bruised and bloody body alerted him that they weren't alone in the inferno.

"Shit!" taking the sheets he wrapped one around each small body, the skin flaking into crisp ash as he pulled them out from under Hakkai.

*sob**sob*

"It's ok, we're gonna get you outta here, just hang on. Hakkai, dammit, don't you die on me, not like this!"

Gojyo leaned in and pulled Hakkai's limp body from the burning rubble.

"Hakkai, can you here me? I'm gonna take your limiters off, ok? You gotta help me with the kids; I can't get you all out of here by myself. 'Kai? You hear me?!" Gojyo shook his shoulder's lightly, relief flooding him as Hakkai coughed spastically and nodded weakly, clinging to him as he turned.

The kids were crying and Hakkai was choking on the gas fumes, half conscious but making a good attempt at walking, so hell, maybe they'd make it after all. Gojyo pulled both kids into his arms and somehow managed to wrap his towel around both his and Hakkai's heads, pulling him in against his rapidly drying shirt and started back towards where he estimated he come in from.

The crowd gasped as they stumbled out into the blazing night, immediately having water poured over them, the kids hurriedly taken off to the clinic for treatment on the worse of their burns and suddenly he had Hakkai's head on his shoulder and he was leaning in and kissing him with wanton abashment.

"You scared the shit out of me, 'Kai. What the hell where you thinking?"

Hakkai coughed weakly and he pulled him in closer against him, running dirty fingers through singed hair, pausing over light burns and cuts, reassuring himself that he was here and alive.

"I saw the fire from the clinic as I was closing up." He coughed again, harder this time and Gojyo reached for the water bucket, lightly cupping some in his hands and helping Hakkai take a sip to clear his throat.

"We couldn't get close, it was too hot, and then I thought I heard screaming. They were still in there, we could see them as they burned." He shuddered and Gojyo tightened his grip around his waist.

"I…I couldn't just sit back and watch. The kids, you could still hear their cries, high and terrified, I couldn't…Gojyo, I couldn't."

"Shh…it's ok, I know, I know…." He wasn't really sure what it was he 'knew' but he did know if there was even the slightest chance, there's no way Hakkai could just sit back and let innocent children die such a horribly painful death, even if it put his life in jeopardy.

"That fire, it wasn't natural, it was deliberately set, who…who could do such a thing to children?" Hakkai choked back sobs and Gojyo remembered his own past, a mother that tried to kill him, and a brother that killed to save him. Glancing at Hakkai he thought it must be worse for him, first growing up in the orphanage, then Kanan's capture and torture, the knowledge that she took hers' and the child she'd been impregnated with lives', then everything that happened on their journey.

Yes, it must be worse, because after everything that had happened, he'd seen his brother again, and he had Hakkai. So all he could do was offer soothing, meaningless words and soft touches; weave him through the crowd who gave them a wide birth, and he filed away the knowledge that this was the first time the townspeople had ever seen his youkai form. He needed to get him to the clinic, that's all he could manage right now; he'd worry about the rest tomorrow.

***

The clinic was packed, he'd never seen so many people in it, or been so grateful that when it came down to it, Lee was still a doctor and managed herself like one. She set them down in a corner, handing Gojyo antiseptic, clean water and bandages and a wink, saying how he knew Hakkai's body better than anyone else and then she was gone, fading back into the crowd.

A soft laugh from Hakkai reminded him of where they were and he quickly dropped his hair to hide the blush creeping across his face.

"Feisty, ain't she?"

"heh, Yes, she can be quite the problem child when she wants to be."

"Speaking of kids, I don't see them anywhere." He glanced up and looked around the room.

"Lee probably put them in a private room; they had some pretty bad burns."

Gojyo looked down to see Hakkai's eyes cloud over, "Now don't start that Hakkai! They'd be dead without your help, that's better than a few scars. Hell, we all have scars to bear, right?" he ran a finger down Hakkai's face and the green eyed demon leaned into it, hungry for the comfort it offered him.

"Hakkai-san, Gojyo-san, can you two come with me please?" Lee was at their elbows without Gojyo noticing, which reminded him why the woman ticked him off so much, damn woman had no sense of place or time.

Hakkai sighed wearily and managed a shaky nod of his head before Gojyo slipped his arm around his shoulders and pulled him to his feet, taking most of his weight on himself.

"I don't want to say this out here, please follow me."

Gojyo noticed the stiffening of backs as they moved through the room, the hard glances and shuffling of feet, _what the hell?_

Lee led them to a small room with an adjoining door and pushed them through it, locking the door securely behind them. Relief flooded her small frame as she turned back to them. Low sobbing came across the flimsy curtain separating the room in half. Gojyo gently lowed Hakkai to the only chair in the sparse room and quickly crossed the few feet to throw back the curtain.

Two pairs of dark red eyes gleamed up at him, brimming with tears and covered in puffy bandages, small shackles joining their ankles together.

"What the hell?" he turned on Lee then, "What the hell's going on here?"

She raised her he hands in defense, "I didn't do it, please Gojyo-san, Hakkai-san, you have to take them and leave, now, tonight, you can't stay here any longer, it's not safe!" her voice had taken on a fevered pitch that set Gojyo's blood pressure racing.

"Lee." His voice was dangerously soft and calm. Gojyo looked at Hakkai in dread; he _knew_ that voice that was a 'bad' voice in his book. Meant people were gonna die soon and painfully. "Lee, please explain in detail why there are injured _children_ chained up like animals in _my_ clinic."

Lee hastily backed up and stammered, "They did it. I thought they were just going to ask them to leave the town, but someone took it a step farther. I swear, I didn't know! And then you ran in there, and everyone was really concerned, but they didn't know! I never told them that you weren't human! I don't care if they're youkai or human, but the town! The town was ravaged two years ago, whole families were slaughtered! They're afraid, please, they're just afraid!"

"And they aren't?!" Gojyo whipped a hand back towards the kids.

"They just had their parents and home torched so those ignorant bastards could feel better! And now, what, they're gonna do the same thing to us? I can't believe this! I've lived here for years; Hakkai's been with me most of the time! And now that they know they're gonna do what? Chain us to a fucking stake and bar-be-que us? Give me a fucking break! I'd like to see them try!"

"Gojyo."

"You can't seriously think this is okay, Hakkai!" he rounded on the ex-human, stopping dead in his tracks as he saw, no, _felt_ the vines shaking in controlled fury.

"Lee, unlock the children and make us a bag of medical supplies please."

"Ye..yes, Hakkai-san."

"'Kai?"

"You might have to find something else to call me, Gojyo."

"What do you mean?"

Hakkai picked up the little boy who was sobbing on the table and held him close, "Because, this ones name is 'Kai' and this is 'Mao'." He reached out and lightly petted this little girls red hair. Turning back to Gojyo his eyes took on a hard glint, "And they're coming with us."

***

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2-

Gojyo glanced through the bag Lee handed him and pulled the scarf and lab coat off the back of the door, tossing it to Hakkai. The green youkai discarded the tattered shirt on the lab table and pulled on the coat, tying his hair back with the scarf. His slightly mismatched eyes seemed to glow in an unearthly way and Gojyo could feel the anger building in his mate.

"Hakkai, chill dude, we have things to do first." He laid a gentle arm over Moa's shoulder and spoke softly, letting his words sink in.

A low growl escaped Hakkai's pale lips, but the tension in the room dropped noticeably.

"Very well. Lee, I'm going to have to handcuff you so they don't think you helped us, ok?" his eyes were hard, but there was a sad determination in them that made her let out a shaky breath and wink at them.

"I thought you'd never ask. Of course, I wasn't really planning on it ending like this, you know?" she ran a hand through her short hair, a light flip of the wrist causing the rusty metal to clank together off-key.

"Lee." She looked at Gojyo straight on for the first time since they'd met her a year ago.

"Gojyo-san, I expect you to take care of them. _All_ of them. I won't forgive you if you fail. Although I don't expect a lousy cockroach to know how to take care of a family."

"What'd you say you little she-demon!"

Gojyo's antenna were up on end, fist clenched as the two verbally spared for a moment.

"Yare, yare, come now children, let's leave the 'grown-ups' to their bickering."

"Hey, Hakkai! Wait-up!" he grabbed the pouch and slung the straps over both shoulders, hefting Kai up in his arms as Hakkai went through and checked their escape.

Hakkai led them back through the adjoining room and over to a bookshelf laden with boring medical texts.

"Umm, Hakkai, I don't think we really have the time to...oh. Ok, then."

Hakkai had his usual 'you were saying' smile plastered across his face, though the addition of the vines made it kinda freaky-sexy to look at. As he waved them through the shallow opening in the floor he wondered, just what kind of clinic has a secret escape route?

"This was here when I took over. Seems the previous owner of the building was a weapon's dealer, funny how life works, isn't it? The tunnel runs out towards the lake, we can cut back along the forest trail to the house and see what we can get before they find this. You two ok? Do you hurt anywhere?"

His gaze slipped down to the shivering figure in his arms.

Kai shook head against Gojyo's chest emphatically; Mao just stared up at Hakkai not speaking. The look she gave him, Gojyo remembered that look, it was the same look he'd given his brother after Jein had killed his mother to save him, fear, awe, respect, yeah, he knew that look well.

"Hey Hakkai, so what's the plan, I don't think we're gonna be able to stay at the house for very long."

"Clothes, food, whatever we can carry and nothing else. Jeep'll be the fastest way out of town, if we can put the mountains between us and them, I don't think they'll follow."

He nodded and kept running. Hakkai's brain was going in a million directions at once, who, what, where, why, all the while the anger seethed below the surface. He tapped into it, using the hot frustration to spur his legs to move faster over the rough terrain.

*huff* *huff*

"Ok, we're like, completely out of shape or something."

"Oh, I didn't realize you were such an old man, Gojyo."

"Heh, yeah right, if I am so are you. Only difference is you're cheating."

Hakkai turned a stricken face to the hanyou, "Cheating? I'd never dream of cheating on you, Gojyo."

A broad smile crossed the red-head's face, "Ha! Don't even start, 'Kai, there are kids present."

He shifted the young boy higher onto his shoulders and took a quick look around.

"Seems like we're what, quarter mile from the house?"

"Yes, it takes about ten minutes at a brisk walk. That way." Hakkai raised a long fingered hand and pointed off towards the west."

"West, huh? Seem familiar to you?" he tossed a crooked smile over his shoulder and started jogging.

"Hmm...maybe a bit more violent than last time."

"Oi! And how do you know how long it takes to get home from here?"

"Ah, yes, well, late shifts do tend to make one find the quickest and most efficient way home."

Hakkai smiled at him as they ran on skirting the edges of the woods.

"So, where to after this?"

"Hmm...do you really have to ask?"

"Shit. And here I was thinking we'd finally gotten rid of those two."

"Well, it does seem the most logical place to hide for a bit, doesn't it?"

"Damn it. That droopy eyed little princess of a priest better not open his mouth about us showing up with kids. Not one, fucking word!"

"Gojyo, please. You really do need to cut back on the swearing. We have children now."

"Oh don't even start with me Hakkai. Not now of all places!"

***

Lights in the distance told them to hurry. Hakkai shouted out a list of things to collect to Gojyo as they raced through the house. Taking the kids into the bedroom he rummaged around for two of their smallest shirts and helped the twins out of their torn and bloody ones.

Sparing a few moments to grab a wet cloth from the adjoining bathroom he ran it carefully over their faces and arms, taking great care around the bandages. Every time they hissed or cringed in pain he felt the anger rearing back up to the surface.

"Stay here for a moment; I'm going to go check on Gojyo." Kai nodded and pulled Mao closer against him. He was starting to get worried, he hadn't heard a single word out of her the entire time they were running, he'd have to keep an eye on her, make sure the shock didn't go too deep.

He turned and ran for the door, almost getting hit as Gojyo burst through, duffle bags swung over his shoulder. Grabbing the healer by the collar, he swung him around and pushed him towards the window.

"Not that way Hakkai! We got visitors, and they don't seem to be the type to wipe their shoes before coming in!"

"Oh, how very rude of them, perhaps I should..."

"NOT NOW, HAKKAI!!! Here! Take the bags and get out the window, I'll hand the kids down to you."

"But, Gojyo!"

"No arguing! Just go! Jeep! Where the hell are you, you little flying rat?!"

"KYU!!"

"Good, go Hakkai, go! Mao! Kai! Come here, hurry!"

Kai pulled his sister's hand harshly, dragging here towards the window and pushing her into waiting arms.

"Go, Mao, go!" her fingers clung to his, crying out as they were ripped apart.

"KAI!!!"

"It's ok, just wait here, he'll be right down, please, just wait Mao. I promise we won't leave him behind." Hakkai reached up as Kai came flying through the window at him.

Gojyo smiled, he liked the kid's style.

Setting the kids in the backseat, Hakkai pulled himself into the driver's seat, craning his neck back to see where Gojyo was.

"Gojyo!"

"Alley-op! Hit it 'Kai!"

As Jeep squealed onto the dirt path leading from their house the sounds of doors being broken down carried to them by the wind.

*Sigh*

"And I had just waxed the floor too."

"Yeah, doesn't look like we'll be able to go back anytime soon either. So what now?"

"We go west of course."

"Yeah. West."

Gojyo settled down into the seat, leaning back as small, chubby hands squirmed their way over the seats and into his arms. As two little red-heads brushed up under his nose ha saw Hakkai smile into the moonlight and he sighed.

Well, one way or another, their lives were never boring, were they?

***

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3-

It was their third day on the road. He hated driving. Well, not really hated, but he hated running and all this was, was running while sitting. His ass and brain were hurting and he was fed up with the whole damn thing.

"Hakkai, come on man, I think we lost them several days ago. You can just drive to Sanzo's now, really."

"...."

"Hakkai, hey now, don't go all silent on me, what's wrong?"

"I can't find them."

"Can't find what?"

"The limiters, I can't show up at the temple without them."

"Screw the limiters. You don't need them anymore."

Hakkai gave his partner a quick glance.

"Look, it's no use, they're gone now. You've maintained this form for almost a week and you haven't killed any of us, I think your fine."

"...."

"Besides," he took a quick look over his shoulder to make sure the kids weren't listening before leaning in close and whispering into Hakkai's neck, "I like the vines. They're major sexy." He reached up and bit down sharply on Hakkai's ear. Smiling perversely as Jeep swerved in the road and the kid's mumbled sleepily.

He sat back looking exceedingly pleased with himself as Hakkai's face flushed crimson.

"Now, can we stop pussy-footing around and get to the stupid temple already, my ass is asleep."

"Gojyo...please shut your mouth or you'll bite your tongue."

He was grinning as he pressed the gas to the floor and they drove on.

***

"SANNNZOOOO!!! No Fair!!! I wanted to eat those! San~zo! Saaa~nnn~zoooooo!"

"Oi! Seems like nothing's changed then and here I thought you two'd be all love-birdie and stuff."

The pair stopped mid step, Goku running into the back of Sanzo with a muffled "uff!"

"Gojyo!" peeking behind Sonzo's robes he grinned from ear to ear and bounded over.

"Shitty kappa, what do you want?"

"Oi! Can it you prissy monk and go let Hakkai and the kids in, your stupid lackeys are giving us shit at the front door." Gojyo turned and walked back down the corridor, leaving a confused Goku blinking up at Sanzo rapidly.

"Did he just say, kids?"

"Hey, Gojyo, wait! Kids? What kids? Did you and Hakkai finally have kids or something?! Gojyo? OWWW!!! WHAT"D YOU DO THAT FOR???"

Sanzo ground his teeth in irritation; he was going to kill them all for real this time, he really was.

***

Half an hour later they were all seated in Sanzo's room; tea steaming on a tray and the gentle laughter of giggling coming from outside in the garden. The twins had taken to Goku instantly, clinging to their new 'oni-chan' and bubbling up a storm.

Hakkai stood by Gojyo at the window looking out over the scene paternally.

"So, you two going to tell me what the hell happened or are you just going to stand there and drink my tea like an old married couple?"

"Ah, well, it is a rather long tale, Gojyo?"

"Hmmm...Basically, the town torched the kid's and their parents in their house. I took off Hakkai's limiters after he was stupid enough to run in after them and got pinned, and then they decided we should all die. So, we came to crash here. See, that wasn't so long Hakkai."

Hakkai smiled his 'less than amused' face and looked back to Sanzo, "Well, yes, that is kind of the clift-notes version."

"Hmph! Fine, you can stay here for a bit, but the limiters..." he looked Hakkai over questioningly; he seemed ok, "How long?"

"Four days now." Hakkai sat with his hands folded in his lap; head slightly bowed when Gojyo walked up behind him and placed both hands on his shoulders protectively.

"Screw that, Hakkai's fine; he doesn't need the stupid limiters! The Minus Waves over! He didn't touch a single human when they were after us."

Sanzo gaze flitted from one to the other, Gojyo's defiant glare, Hakkai's startled expression, the softness of the touches they shared...

"Fine, we'll go talk to the three heads tomorrow. I'm not standing up for you this time, you want to argue with them, go ahead."

"And you! Bakasaru, get out of the fucking tree right now!"

A lazy, "yes, Sanzo" wafted in on the afternoon breeze.

"You're all crazy, every single one of you." Sanzo mumbled before going back to his paper and ignoring them.

***

"Hey Hakkai, can the kids sleep in my room tonight?" Goku peered up at them with that puppy-dog stare of his.

"How old are you now? Act like an adult, would you?" Gojyo mock swiped at him as he ducked and danced out of reach grinning widely.

"Why? Hakkai, can they?"

Hakkai kneeled down beside the twins and smiled softly at them, "Kai, Mao, would you like to stay with Goku tonight? We'll be right next store if you need us."

Mao nodded tentatively as Kai exclaimed, "Yeah! Can we? Can we stay with oni-chan?"

"If you say it like that I guess we have no choice, do we Gojyo?"

Leaning down over the edge of the bed he smiled around the cigarette hanging loosely from his lips, "Nope, no arguing when we're out numbered three to two."

"Alright then, let's get you ready for bed while Goku gets the extra futons set-up, ok?"

"Yeah!" the twins about twisted him in half trying to simultaneously pull him towards the bathroom from opposite sides.

"Ok, ok. *haha* I get it, I'm coming, I'm coming, no need to rush."

"He looks happy."

Gojyo turned back to his beer, holding the amber liquid up to the light and swishing it softly in the glass, "Yeah. It was touch and go there for a minute though. When we realized what they were going to do to them," Gojyo sighed, sending a grey puff of smoke skittering across the table, "if he was ever gonna lose it, it would have been then. But now...I think they need each other; those kids and him. I haven't seen him smile like that in a long time."

Sanzo dipped the edge of the paper and peered over at the hanyou, "I don't think it's just him they need. They seemed to look to you for guidance this afternoon too."

"Heh, how fucked up is that then?"

The priest just fluttered his paper and pretended he hadn't heard the question, it wasn't really meant for him anyways.

***

Gojyo was alone when Hakkai finally came back to their room.

"Holy shit 'Kai, what the hell happened to you?" he was sitting up in bed when the healer had walked back in, dripping, clothes disheveled, he looked like he'd been through a war.

"Ah, yes, umm...we must remember not to let Goku in the tub with them, that was, unpleasantly physical."

Gojyo raised an eyebrow at the odd word choice, "Do I even want to know?"

"He, umm...well two children in a tub is hard enough, but three..."

"No, never mind, I don't think I want to know anymore." He waved away the question and grabbed a towel from the closet before walking over to Hakkai and tossing it over his head.

"So, they in bed yet?"

"They're in Goku's room and were under the covers when I left them, now...who knows?" he laughed shakily, he'd never dealt with children for such an extended period of time before, even when he was teaching.

"So that means I've finally got you alone for a while then...and we really need to get you out of these wet clothes before you get sick..." he left the idea hanging in the air, Hakkai could choose to leave it or pluck it off and run with it, his choice.

"Sometimes I think Goku has the right of it after all."

"What's that 'Kai." He ran his hands over the towel, rubbing softly against Hakkai's wet hair.

"You really are a pervert Kappa."

Hands stilled as Gojyo leaned back and laughed whole-heartedly. "That's it, there's my Hakkai! I knew you were in there somewhere."

"Yes, well, let me just show you how much it's me..." he backed the still laughing man up until he hit the edge of the bed, holding on to him as they fell together.

He never wanted to let go.

***


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4-

A shrill, piercing scream ripped through the air of the temple. Gojyo and Hakkai shot out of bed, the same word falling out of their lips, "Mao!"

Between grabbing for clothes and the door and trying not to run into each other as they pushed through the suddenly too small door of the room they took maybe three breaths.

"Mao! Mao, what's wrong hunny?" Gojyo was kneeling by her bedroll, but it was Hakkai that she ran to. Flinging herself into his arms she cried hard, racking sobs, "Daddy! Daddy!!"

Kai crawled up and into Gojyo's arms, clinging to him and watching his sister at the same time.

"Shh…it's ok, you're safe, it's ok, we're here now, shhh…" he ran vine covered hands and claws over her head, pressed feather-light kisses into her hair and just held her as she cried, rocking back and forth on his knees lightly.

*hic* *sniff* *hic*

Kai was pressing small hands into his eyes, wiping the tears away messily. Gojyo pulled him in against his chest and patted his back, rubbing small circles and letting the low rumble of his voice wash over the boy.

"Saru."

Goku turned quickly at the voice. Glancing back at the heart-wrenching scene he hiccupped lightly and reached out a hand. Gathering up the folds of Sanzo's robes he followed the gentle pull out of the room and down the hall.

"You can stay here tonight; I think those four need a little _family_ time."

"O..k…"

Goku looked around the sparse room and scrubbed at his eyes before noticing that Sanzo had left the sheet turned down beside him on the small bed. He smiled softly and crawled in beside the monk, reflexively curling in against Sanzo's chest. As he slipped off to sleep he felt the warmth of hands pulling him in closer, and sighed contentedly as he snuggled in next to the black clad chest.

***

Mao and Kai had finally stopped crying a few hours before dawn. Gojyo and Hakkai were exhausted from the lack of sleep, but as the sun rose and they went to detangle themselves from the small bodies they found rebellious, terrified eyes soundlessly begging them not to go. Which led to the very sweet scene Goku found when he finally came to check on them.

Inching back out of the room he jumped ten feet at Sanzo's harsh voice behind him.

"What the hell are you doing, bakasaru?" Sanzo stood there, fan on hip, like he was just itching to slap someone, and Goku really didn't want it to be him.

"But Sanzo," he whispered, "You can't wake them up now, it's just too cu~te!"

"What the hell are you talking about, move."

Sanzo opened the door angrily and stopped dead.

Leaning against the wall were Gojyo and Hakkai, shoulders and heads resting together, an exhausted look weighing their faces down even in sleep, a small child curled up on each of their chests, faces pressed into rumpled sleeping shirts, one hand clutching hair, the other reaching out and holding the other twin's, one of their make-shift parent's arms wrapped protectively around them.

Sanzo's eye twitched as he pulled the door closed and stalked back to his room.

"It's too early for this shit. We're going back to sleep, now!"

"We?"

"Don't ask stupid questions before coffee."

"Yes, Sanzo!"

_Stupid monkey was way to chipper about this_, is what he thought as he crawled back into bed and pulled the sheets insolently over their heads.

***


	5. Chapter 5

Ch. 5-

By lunch time everyone was finally up, slightly red eyed and grumpy, but mostly functional. Sanzo, Hakkai, and Gojyo were setting out for the three-aspects leaving the twins in Goku's care at the temple. Basically, the whole situation terrified Hakkai to no end.

"Are you sure they'll be alright?" Hakkai asked worriedly, glancing back over his shoulder as the door closed loudly behind them.

Gojyo ran a hand through long crimson hair and flashed a devilishly handsome smile at his mate, "Yeah, even if he is a monkey, he's probably good for them, you know? All that energy and loudness, they'll be fine with him."

"Actually, I was talking about the monks, they seemed absolutely terrified at the thought of being left alone with Goku all day." He smiled shakily and looked over at Sanzo.

"Hmph! Like I care." Sanzo lit up and kept walking, mumbling to himself about stupid monkeys and hogging all the blankets. Gojyo and Hakkai exchanged knowing grins but wisely said nothing.

***

The Sanbutsushin were annoying as usual; their being all floaty and stuff. Gojyo hated the place, reminded him of the being called to the principal's office.

"Screw that! Why the hell should we leave them with a bunch of people they don't know?"

"You are not capable of dealing with those children. You couldn't even find a way of getting out of the fire without releasing his limiters."

"Yeah, well, if you saw them being burned alive why didn't you make it rain or something? What kind of floating head are you if you can't even save two kids!"

"Gojyo..."

"No Hakkai, I'm tired of having our lives dictated by a bunch of freaks who can't even handle a fraction of our lives! First they condemn us for being us, then they send us on that shit 'hole of a trip, and then they go off and try and take the kids from us all while basically telling you off for not wearing your God damn limiters! Screw this! We don't need you telling us how to live our lives!" he was spitting with fury, _how dare they?!_

"Go...jyo..." Hakkai got up and walked over to the hanyou, placing a strong hand on his shoulder he pressed in gently.

"Hakkai..."

Hakkai turned and faced the three aspects, "Of all the people out there who could take in these two, I think we understand them best."

"How so?"

"We have both experienced what it is like to live without families, we know what the orphanages and streets are like. We've experienced loss and rejection and we know what it means to love someone. And we truly care for those two. Quite frankly, you would be hard pressed to find more suitable parents."

"And what shall you do to support yourselves and these children?"

"Coffee shop..." Gojyo mumbled.

"Eh?" Hakkai's eyes went wide at the soft voice.

Gojyo straightened and placed a reassuring hand on Hakkai's, "It's about time we finally had that coffee shop you wanted. Obviously we can't go back, but we _can_ go forward."

The Sanbutsushin looked to each other before turning back towards the two youkai before them.

"Very well. There is a town three days journey to the south of here that has a large human/youkai population. The relations between the two have been holding steady for the last few years; it should provide a stable environment for you." Gojyo tightened his hand on Hakkai's and smiled widely.

"Genjo Sanzo, we wish to speak with you further, please stay."

Hakkai and Gojyo turned and looked at Sanzo who merely nodded as they left and started back towards the temple below.

***

It was late evening when Sanzo finally returned. Hakkai placed his paper and a cup of tea on his desk as he sat down wearily.

"Is there anything you want to talk about, Sanzo?" he asked gently.

Sanzo glanced up at him stonily.

"Should I take that as a 'no', then?"

"Hmph!"

Leaving the monk to his thoughts, a look of concern crossed his face, something was wrong, but he could do nothing if Sanzo didn't talk to him. Hakkai filed the thought away; deciding he'd talk to Gojyo about it later.

Rounding the corner he was sent flying, a dirty Goku and small red planets colliding with his chest, "Umf!"

"Uh-oh. Um..are you ok, Hakkai-papa?"

"Eh?" his vision swam for a minute.

"Mao, go get Gojyo-papa, I think we broke him." Kai poked his nose a few times experimentally.

"'kay!"

Mao scrambled off of him and ran back the way they'd come.

"Hey, Hakkai? You okay? We didn't break you or anything, did we?"

Hakkai coughed and looked up through chestnut hair, Goku's face was upside down, his brow furrowed in concern.

"Ah...I...I think I'll live, thank you." Kai slid off of him as Goku pulled him to his feet. He was leaning against the wall holding his side when he heard the unmistakable patter of small feet rounding the corner, Mao holding tightly onto Gojyo's fingers as she pulled him onwards.

Gojyo scooped her up as he skidded to a stop. She leaned out towards Hakkai and waved her arms back and forth, "Hakkai-papa! Not broken?"

Hakkai took her squirming form from Gojyo and carefully set her on his hip, canting it slightly out of alignment to accommodate the change in weight.

"No, I'm not broken, but you three need to not run in the halls anymore, ok?" Mao nuzzled in against his chest, pushing her shock of red hair up under his chin.

"Okay."

He glanced at Kai and the boy nodded his head contritely, "We're sorry. We promise we won't run inside anymore."

"Alright, now, I have a question for you two." He kneeled down and placed Mao beside her brother, Gojyo imitating him and sitting cross-legged on the floor beside him.

"We were thinking of going south soon. There seems to be a town that's in need of a good coffee shop." He grinned at Gojyo, "We wanted to know if you wanted to go with us?"

Kai looked at them searchingly, "All of us?"

Gojyo blinked, "The four of us, you and Mao and Hakkai and me. The monkey has to stay here and keep an eye on that droopy-eyed Ojii-san." He jerked his thumb back at Sanzo's door.

"Mao?" Kai turned to his sister and the two exchanged a serious look.

Mao walked over and grabbed a fistful of Gojyo's hair, tugging it hard, "Mao, wanna go with papas." She looked up at him sternly, tiny fangs biting into the tip of her chubby little thumb.

Gojyo sucked in a quick breath, he was so screwed. In that one look he realized he'd never be able to deny her anything. Shit. He was going to turn into one of those fathers he used to hate. You know the overprotective kind that wouldn't let a punk like him anywhere near their kids.

Hakkai did one of those mind-reading things he was so good at and smiled brightly at him, yep, he was screwed.

"I'm not giving up smoking though." He sighed at the glitter that sparkled deep in Hakkai's good eye.

"I guess that's an expectable compromise." Hakkai smiled brightly, that real smile he pulled out for special occasions and the kids lit up, bouncing over to him and pushing his cheeks up and down squealing like they'd found a secret treasure.

He sat back against the wall and just let it wash over him.

"So, you got a real family now, huh?" Goku hunched down beside him and tilted his head, laughing as the kid's enthusiasm toppled Hakkai again and the three laid there sprawled out across the temple's hallway.

"Yep. Guess I do." He was probably grinning like a fool the entire time.

And a few days later, as they pulled out of Chang'an and the kids waved furiously from the back seat, Gojyo yelling at them to be careful or they'd fall out, he figured he was still smiling.

And again, when they were handed the keys to their new house over the small shop that would eventually house a bustling crowd of humans and youkai and he'd be running around with coffee and pastries, the giggling of two small red-heads blowing in through the open window overlooking the porch, Hakkai pouring dark, steaming cups behind the bar, he figured his face would break in half from all the smiling he'd be doing.

And late at night, with Hakkai curled up beside him, head cushioned on his shoulder, the soft sound of banging coming through the ceiling as they kids jumped on their beds, way after night had fallen, he'd look up and stare at the wooden floorboards above their heads and smile again.

He was starting to get the hang of this smiling thing he thought. Real smiling.

Fin.


End file.
